Wednesday, July 8, 2009

thinking about how multi-facted happiness is... first off, are humans even designed to be happy? and how often to you have to be happy to have a happy life? like, if i'm happy on tuesday-friday, but a grouch saturday-monday, am i happy or not?

and some folks, like myself, don't really show HAPPINESS! like with the bubbles and sparkles and all. i'm pretty serious and heavy most of the time (read: nearly "wet blanket"), but i'm happy on the inside, so does that count?

and does happiness equal contentment? or can you be happy while still striving to be more, expect more, live more... blah blah blah.

and what about the people that have what i like to call the "chronic unhappies"? these people are fanatical about not being happy. (in my limited experience, though, i've found that most of the people like this are insanely self-absorped and ungrateful for the things they DO have.)

is happiness really just a choice? perspective? can you buy it?

john lennon says happiness is a warm gun, a quick google search tells me happiness is "like a butterfly", "a journey", and "the lord". helen keller says happines is attained "through fidelity to a worthy purpose". epicurus said "tranquility and rationality are the cornerstones of happiness"... does anyone really know? isn't happiness a bit more individualized and specific?

I find thjat m ost people, even those who know Christs love, have boughts of sadness. We let the world get to us and our situations. But, once we feel that coming on, we need to TRY and get it out of us. However, that is easier said than done.The Lord wants us to be happy.

I try not to analyze what true happiness is really. But I have pretty house pretty tree syndrome. Lots of things makes me happy and I think the key is to find happiness in the smallest things possible. Like the way food coloring stains my fingers for days. Or how every child has to dismantle their dolls milliseconds after getting them to inspect them thoroughly. Or Elliott's sleepy voice when he comes stumbling into the living room first thing in the morning.

Big things make me happy too. But I have to take delight in the things that most people wouldn't notice. It makes life much more enjoyable.

interesting to me is the word downcast is the greek/hebrew word for "depression" first time used in the bible when Cain killed Able....i am most happy in my home with the dishwasher running after a meal - and at night time in my bed...watching shadows/reflections on the wall - from cars going by...and i love you..your words make me happy. ~ sarajane

maybe we were made to be blissfully happy and it was ruined with some apples. maybe constant discontentment is necessary in flawed humanity, but not something to be dwelled upon. maybe happiness, now, is in growth, in brokenness. is a gift and a mindset alike.

who knows.i just know that i was pretty pessimistic before ... but zebediah makes me pretty happy. even if, especially recently, i spend a lot of time venting frustrations and stress.

deep down, and especially in the morning, i am overcome with joy. an unhappy person could probably not experience that.

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Divine spirit, make me an instrument of peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon,
Where there is doubt, faith,
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light,
Where there is sadness, joy...
-Prayer of St. Francis